Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 3, 2015 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
Dec. 3, 2015 National S Amdt 2915 Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45)
Dec. 3, 2015 National S Amdt 2910 Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
Oct. 23, 2015 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (240 - 189)
Oct. 20, 2015 National S 2146 Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Oct. 20, 2015 National S 2146 Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Sept. 24, 2015 National S Amdt 2669 Rescinds Funds from Planned Parenthood Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 52)
Sept. 18, 2015 National HR 3134 Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (241 - 187)
July 23, 2015 National HR 3009 Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act Bill Passed - House (241 - 179)
June 3, 2015 National HR 2578 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Bill Passed - House (242 - 183)
June 2, 2015 National HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
June 1, 2015 National HR 1335 Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 152)
May 15, 2015 National H Amdt 230 Prohibits Listing Lesser Prairie Chicken as Endangered Amendment Adopted - House (229 - 190)
Jan. 14, 2015 National HR 240 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (236 - 191)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/03 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
12/03 S Amdt 2915 Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45)
12/03 S Amdt 2910 Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
10/23 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (240 - 189)
10/20 S 2146 Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
10/20 S 2146 Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
9/24 S Amdt 2669 Rescinds Funds from Planned Parenthood Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 52)
9/18 HR 3134 Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (241 - 187)
7/23 HR 3009 Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act Bill Passed - House (241 - 179)
6/03 HR 2578 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Bill Passed - House (242 - 183)
6/02 HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
6/01 HR 1335 Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 152)
5/15 H Amdt 230 Prohibits Listing Lesser Prairie Chicken as Endangered Amendment Adopted - House (229 - 190)
1/14 HR 240 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (236 - 191)

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